Zeno Social: What’s IN for 2025?
This time last year, social media users had just passed the 5 billion mark, increasing by 266 million since 2023.
Since then, 2024 marked a stellar year for both brands and creators across social. From the chaotic radicalisation of X (RIP Twitter) and the rapid growth of its new competitor Bluesky, to big names aligning with major cultural events and viral moments in the war for consumer attention.
It’s safe to say that the social sphere well and truly peaked in its micro-trends era, with the time frame for opportunistic trend-hopping becoming shorter and more saturated. You need only look back on the cringey z-list brat/demure bandwagon content to recall this, but I won’t name names.
So moving forward, how can brands get ahead of the game strategically this year and where should they start looking? Here’s my take:
Become master entertainers
In the same way Aldo rolled out collections in honour of the Wicked movie last year and Nyx did the same for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, brands will need to anticipate upcoming opportunities specifically within the entertainment industry.
Whether that’s a new album drop, movie or tour that is likely to send consumers into a flurry - you need to make sure you have marked these in your calendars so that you’re the first to react to the social chatter.
Take LuxeGen, who immediately reposted footage of Timothee Chamalet arriving at the ‘A Complete Unknown’ premiere on a Lime Bike.
Or a tip - if you hadn’t already noticed, accounts are going wild for The Traitors related content - see here and here.
Experiment with niche cultural moments
Jumping on every trend that pops up is likely to see you caught in a haze of repetitive feeds. Instead, test out microtrends in smaller niches and communities - this way, you’ll be able to understand which elements of culture your audience resonate with and the kind of content they’d prefer you to steer clear of.
As fleeting as they might be, microtrends still offer the opportunity to tap into fast-moving cultural conversations within the zeitgeist. Trust us, consumers want you to take risks.
Unsure how to define a microtrend? Think of the Britpop revival thanks to the Oasis reunion or brands such as Steve Madden making the most of the mob wife aesthetic trend.
Leading with the style of creators
Long gone are the days of creators acting as puppets for a brand’s messaging. It’s now all about weaving a brand or product into the already established vibe of the creator and respecting their creative format.
Jacquemus’ partnership with TikTok star Mama Bemi was an iconic example of this.
Many brands, with priorities for pushing their own agenda, have struggled to maintain their creator’s voices when introducing their products into their narrative. If you can succeed in sticking to a formula that keeps audiences coming back with your collaborators, then you’re onto a winner.
If you want to read more about the creator trends set to rock 2025, you can read our full list of predictions here.
Community-driven Content
Investing in your online community is the most obvious path to success on social, so why do so many brands fail to show up here?
Refy, LuxeGen and Topicals are among brands rebranding generic influencer trips for ‘community trips’, bringing regular customers to experiences typically reserved for those with an online presence. The aim of these initiatives is to make customers feel seen and listened to, with a byproduct of generating UGC and hype across platforms.
This relates to much more than just experiences however, simply acknowledging your follower base goes a long way.
Take Guinness, who have entire posts highlighting their UGC content, encouraging people to pick their fave pint. Or Dolby who, aligned with their products and ties with the entertainment industry, ask followers what album releases they’re looking forward to this year.
All of these tactics make users feel seen whilst giving them incentives for sharing their personal experiences with your brand. Simple, but effective.
